Innovative Journal of Business and Management 2 : 5 September October (2013) 103 - 108.

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INNOVATIVE JOURNAL OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT

Journal homepage: http://www.innovativejournal.in/index.php/ijbm

FDI IN INDIAN RETAIL SECTOR: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

Ritika, Neha Dangi*
Research Scholars, Department of Commerce, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, India
ARTICLE INFO

ABSTRACT

Corresponding Author:
Neha Dangi
Research Scholar, Department of
Commerce, Kurukshetra University,
Kurukshetra. India

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is considered to be the lifeblood of

economic development especially for the developing and underdeveloped
countries. It plays an important role in the long-term development of a
country not only as a source of capital but also for enhancing
competitiveness of the domestic economy through transfer of technology,
strengthening infrastructure, raising productivity and generating new
employment opportunities. Allowing FDI proves good as improvements
in supply chain technologies and informational externalities to local
players and competitive dynamics that could benefit consumers and
suppliers. Competition is best for consumers as it gives them variety,
better prices and better quality. It may give domestic producers an
incentive to become more efficient. FDI in retail sector can expand
markets by reducing transaction and transformation costs of business
through adoption of advanced supply chain and benefit consumers and
suppliers. FDI in multi-brand retail will support the governments role of
achieving remunerative prices for farmers and will also increase quality
and choice for Indias increasingly sophisticated consumer base. An
incredibly high percentage, 40% of food is lost in India due to the lack of
cold storage and the lack of quick transportation. This is one of the very
important benefits of multi-brand retail that they brought across the
world in supply chain. FDI is expected to bring the investment and
expertise necessary to modernise and develop the farm and
manufacturing sector. The prospect of higher growth in the food and
grocery is particularly attractive because over fifty per cent of Indias
workforce is employed in the farm sector. FDI increases the level of
competition in the host country. Other companies will also have to
improve on their processes and services in order to stay in the market.
FDI enhanced the quality of products and services. FDI has also ensured a
number of employment opportunities by aiding the selling up of
industrial units in various corners of India.

Key Words- Foreign Direct

Investment (FDI), Single- Brand
Retail, Multi-Brand Retail,
Challenges, Opportunities

2013, IJBM, All Right Reserved

INTRODUCTION
FDI
Generally speaking FDI refers to capital inflows
from abroad that invest in the production capacity of the
economy and are usually preferred over other forms of
external finance because they are non-debt creating, nonvolatile and their returns depend on the performance of the
projects financed by the investors. FDI also facilitates
international trade and transfer of knowledge, skills and
technology. It is furthermore described as a source of
economic development, modernization, and employment
generation, whereby the overall benefits (dependant on the
policies of the host government).triggers technology spill
overs, assists human capital formation, contributes to
international trade integration and particularly exports,
helps create a more competitive business environment,

enhances enterprise development, increases total factor

productivity and, more generally, improves the efficiency of
resource use.
HISTORY OF FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT (FDI) IN
INDIA
Foreign direct investments (FDI) are a major
driving force behind the growth of Indian financial
markets. Post liberalisation in 1990s, the country is being
viewed as a strategic destination by foreign majors to park
their investments and benefit from the economic growth. In
India, FDI is considered as a developmental tool, which can
help in achieving self-reliance in various sectors of the
economy. With the announcement of Industrial Policy in
1991, huge incentives and concessions were granted for

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Dangi et.al/FDI in Indian Retail Sector: Opportunities and Challenges

the flow of foreign capital to India. India is a growing
country which has large space for consumer as well as
capital goods. Indias abundant and diversified natural
resources, its sound economic policy, good market
conditions and highly skilled human resources, make it a
proper destination for foreign direct investments
India remains the world's third most attractive destination
for investment by transnational corporations (TNCs)
during 2013-15, stated a recent survey by UNCTAD. The
country was ranked after china and the US in the survey
based on responses of 159 companies. As per the recent
survey done by the United National Conference on Trade
and Development (UNCTAD), India will emerge as the third
largest recipient of foreign direct investment (FDI) for the
three-year period ending 2012 (World Investment Report
2010). As per the study, the sectors which attracted highest
FDI were services, telecommunications, construction
activities, and computer software and hardware. In 1991,
India liberalised its highly regulated FDI regime. Along with
the virtual abolition of the industrial licensing system,
controls over foreign trade and FDI were considerably
relaxed. The reforms did result in increased inflows of FDI
during the post reform period. The volume of FDI in India is
relatively low compared with that in most other developing
countries.
Moreover, this economic segment enjoys high
attention from top officials of the Government, owing to its
strategic importance. The Government keeps making
efforts to provide impetus to FDI flows in the country and
hence undertakes numerous reform initiatives. FDI norms
were further liberalised after September 2012 in sectors
like civil aviation, power exchanges and retail. The Ministry
of Finance has also suggested modifications in FDI caps for
various sectors, including tea, media, natural gas and
petroleum.
In political economy terms, the entry of foreign
retailers affects different stakeholders on the demand and
supply side. Improvement in supply chain, especially for
food items, across the country benefits low income groups
because their major part of the consumption basket is food.
Secondly, it will increase surplus to small and medium
farmers. Low income consumers on the demand side and
small and medium scale farmers on supply side are less
cohesively organized in influencing government policies
than wholesalers, middlemen, and Indian large retailers.
Indian large retailers (such as the newly entrenched
interests like the Reliance fresh) may block the entry of
foreign players with short-term calculations of their
interests. However, they can benefit from externalities
arising out of the entry of foreign players if the foreign
players invest significant resources in developing the
supply chain and improve the know-how of large number
of vendors. This took place in the case of the automobile
sector. Some of the wholesalers and small Kirana stores
adopted innovative practices in procuring and selling
goods in response to competition from the large retailers
which will improve the overall organization of the markets.

The main losers would be the middlemen rather than small

traders. Small traders retain the advantage of low overhead
costs and take advantage of geographic distribution and
density of consumers. Any technological and organizational
changes have disruptive effects - some losers in the short
run and larger number of gainers in the long run. As the
presence of large retailers increases, government tax
revenues will increase which can be used to compensate
the losers. The main role of government is to establish and
implement effective and autonomous regulatory
institutions- restraining anti-competitive conduct by firms,
labour and environmental regulation. The government has
to make credible commitments of its policies.
FDI in Single-Brand Retail
FDI in single-brand retail implies that a retail store
with foreign investment can only sell one brand. For
example, if Adidas were to obtain permission to retail its
flagship brand in India, those retail outlets could only sell
products under the Adidas brand. For Adidas to sell
products under the Reebok brand, which it owns, separate
government permission is required and (if permission is
granted) Reebok products must then be sold in separate
retail outlets.
Up to 100% in Single Brand Retail Trading
By only one non-resident entity whether owner or
the brand or otherwise 30% domestic sourcing
requirement eased to preferable sourcing rather
compulsory Further clarification on FDI companies that
cannot engage in B2C e-commerce.
FDI in Multi-Brand Retail Up to 51% in Multi-Brand
Retail Trading
At least US$100m as equity into Indian company.
At least 50% of the total FDI is to be invested in back
end infrastructure within 3 years.
At least 30% of the value of procurement of processed
product shall be sourced from Indian Small Industries.
Fresh agricultural produce is permitted to be sold
unbranded.
Indian states have been given the discretion to accept or
refuse to implement FDI. More than 8 states have
already given their consent.
Retail outlets can be set up in cities having a population
of at least 1 million.
Application needs to be approved by two levels at
Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) and
Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB). With this, a
plethora of business opportunities in India has been
thrown open to the foreign investors. India has seen an
eightfold increase in its FDI in March 2012, at a time when
the aforesaid norms were not even approved a sign that
suggests India is set to be one of the favoured destinations
for foreign investors in the retail sector. The table given
below shows the statement on sector-wise FDI equity
inflows
from
April,
2000
to
June,
2013.

Table 1: Statement On Sector-Wise Fdi Equity Inflows From April, 2000 To June, 2013
S.
No.
1
2
3
4
5

Sector
Services Sector*
Construction Development: Townships, Housing, Built-Up Infrastructure And
Construction-Development Projects
Telecommunications
Computer Software & Hardware
Drugs & Pharmaceuticals

104

Amount of FDI Inflows

(in Rs crore)
(In US $ million)
177,594.62
38,179.78
101,994.86
22,247.50

%age with total

FDI Inflows(+)
19.22
11.20

58,785.79
53,757.60
54,321.68

6.48
5.97
5.70

12,865.83
11,862.37
11,318.32

Dangi et.al/FDI in Indian Retail Sector: Opportunities and Challenges

6
Chemicals (Other Than Fertilizers)
41,118.29
8,993.12
4.53
7
Automobile Industry
42,015.28
8,810.07
4.43
8
Power
36,805.41
7,953.93
4.00
9
Metallurgical Industries
35,448.07
7,620.73
3.84
10
Hotel & Tourism
33,819.35
6,731.89
3.39
11
Petroleum & Natural Gas
24,950.25
5,406.70
2.72
12
Trading
19,243.58
4,063.79
2.05
13
Information & Broadcasting (Including Print Media)
16,163.91
3,406.19
1.71
14
Electrical Equipments
14,826.59
3,211.43
1.62
15
Non-Conventional Energy
13,425.78
2,683.72
1.35
16
Cement And Gypsum Products
11,941.58
2,656.29
1.34
17
Miscellaneous Mechanical & Engineering Industries
11,432.46
2,477.18
1.25
18
Industrial Machinery
11,504.84
2,388.12
1.20
19
Construction(Infrastructure) Activities
10,332.94
2,198.77
1.11
20
Consultancy Services
9,928.46
2,136.36
1.08
21
Food Processing Industries
9,534.62
1,964.32
0.99
22
Hospital & Diagnostic Centres
9,169.24
1,914.28
0.96
23
Port
6,717.38
1,635.08
0.82
24
Agriculture Services
7,866.74
1,620.65
0.82
25
Electronics
5,986.51
1,292.48
0.65
26
Textiles (Including Dyed,Printed)
5,871.60
1,258.91
0.63
27
Sea Transport
5,504.15
1,196.57
0.60
28
Fermentation Industries
5,263.53
1,163.46
0.59
29
Rubber Goods
5,944.50
1,154.61
0.58
30
Mining
4,385.34
1,001.38
0.50
31
Paper And Pulp (Including Paper Products)
4,096.21
872.83
0.44
32
Prime Mover (Other Than Electrical Generators)
4,196.03
860.24
0.43
33
Education
4,106.87
820.58
0.41
34
Medical And Surgical Appliances
3,185.03
653.45
0.33
35
Machine Tools
3,037.00
635.08
0.32
36
Soaps, Cosmetics & Toilet Preparations
3,115.55
632.40
0.32
37
Ceramics
2,780.98
611.63
0.31
38
Air Transport (Including Air Freight)
2,066.14
456.82
0.23
39
Glass
2,122.17
420.35
0.21
40
Diamond,Gold Ornaments
1,891.81
405.06
0.20
41
Vegetable Oils And Vanaspati
1,898.45
385.79
0.19
42
Railway Related Components
1,682.64
348.64
0.18
43
Agricultural Machinery
1,659.26
337.21
0.17
44
Fertilizers
1,536.11
318.24
0.16
45
Printing Of Books (Including Litho Printing Industry)
1,270.42
274.66
0.14
46
Commercial, Office & Household Equipments
1,183.63
255.17
0.13
47
Earth-Moving Machinery
770.54
175.21
0.09
48
Leather,Leather Goods And Pickers
554.92
112.35
0.06
49
Tea And Coffee (Processing & Warehousing Coffee & Rubber)
476.63
104.97
0.05
50
Scientific Instruments
534.30
101.51
0.05
51
Retail Trading (Single Brand)
468.37
96.96
0.05
52
Timber Products
433.20
85.19
0.04
53
Industrial Instruments
310.56
67.06
0.03
54
Photographic Raw Film And Paper
269.26
66.54
0.03
55
Boilers And Steam Generating Plants
306.75
62.00
0.03
56
Sugar
242.32
51.82
0.03
57
Coal Production
119.19
27.73
0.01
58
Dye-Stuffs
87.32
19.50
0.01
59
Glue And Gelatin
71.31
14.69
0.01
60
Mathematical,Surveying And Drawing Instruments
39.80
7.98
0.00
61
Defence Industries
24.36
4.94
0.00
62
Coir
10.37
2.17
0.00
63
Miscellaneous Industries
36,206.17
7,976.00
4.01
Sub-Total
926,408.62
198,678.62
100.00
64
Rbis- Nri Schemes (2000-2002)
533.06
121.33
Grand Total
926,941.68
198,799.95
* Services sector includes Financial, Banking, Insurance, Non-Financial / Business, Outsourcing, R&D, Courier, Tech. Testing and Analysis
FDI inflows data re-classified, as per segregation of data from April 2000 onwards.
+ Percentage of inflows worked out in terms of US$ & the above amount of inflows received through FIPB/SIA route RBIs automatic route & acquisition of
existing shares only.
FDI Sectoral data has been revalidated / reconciled in line with the RBI, which reflects minor changes in the FDI figures (increase/decrease) as compared to
the earlier published sectoral data

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

1. To study the emerging challenges in FDI in Indian Retail
Sector.
2. To study the opportunities in FDI in Indian Retail Sector.
3. To recommend certain suggestions for growth of FDI in
Indian retail sector.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This study is descriptive in nature. The study is
based on secondary data which has been taken from case
studies, books, journals, newspapers and online databases
and websites of DIPP (Department of Industrial Policy and
Promotion), RBI (Reserve Bank of India) and FICCI
(Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and
Industry) and UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on

105

Dangi et.al/FDI in Indian Retail Sector: Opportunities and Challenges

Trade and Development). The main focus of the study is to
highlight the emerging challenges and opportunities of FDI
in retail sector.
Benefits/Opportunities of FDI
Benefits to Indian Economy
FDI in retail would have been an opportunity to attract
inflow of funds which would have resulted in major
benefits for the Indian economy:
Growth in allied industries: The inflow of funds into
retailing would have simultaneously led to the growth of
allied industries as happened in the case of automobiles,
which led to the growth of auto components sector.
Likewise FDI in retail would assist growth in supplier
industries such as food-processing and textiles moreover,
growing demand for retail space, construction of real
estate would have also taken place.
Improvement of Government Revenues: Another
significant advantage of organized retailing is its
contribution to government revenues. Organized
retailers, by virtue of their being corporate entities need
to file tax returns periodically whereas in the
unorganized sectors there have been leakages in the
collection of central and state taxes.
Supports the growth of Indian small industries: If the
consumers in India buy goods at foreign single-brand
outlets, established in India and enjoy the shopping
experience, in reality, they would be actively contributing
towards significant money transfer to a multinational
based out of the USA, which after retaining profits, would
end up sending majority of this money to China, where
most goods are being manufactured. The government
appears to be cognizant of this very issue, which is why
they proposed that at least 30 per cent of the
procurement of manufactured / processed products shall
be from "small industries" (presumably this refers to
"small industries" in India). This aspect will lead to
support the growth of the small industries in the country.
Supports Improved Standard of Living: Allowing FDI
in Indian Single-Brand Retail will certainly bring in more
sophisticated and luxurious goods and services to the
country. Availability of such goods backed with good
promotional support will definitely motivate / induce the
Indian buyers to buy and consume them. It will be certain
that the standard of living of the consumers will be
improved. In addition to the above, the people who shall
be employed in the multi-national retail enterprises will
be paid attractive salaries and wages that will also stand
for their increased affordability. The organised retail also
provides other add-on services along with the products
sold. All these new changes, that shall be resulted by
allowing FDI in single-brand retail will surely support
improved standard of living.
Enhanced Competition and Reduced Prices: Entry of
the many other multi-national corporations will
obviously promise intensive competition between the
different companies offering their brands in a particular
product market. When the manufacturing companies will
take efforts to increase their market share or to
accomplish their other marketing objectives, competition
among them will be activated. Such a competition will
result in the availability of many varieties, reduced
prices, and convenient distribution of the marketing
offers.
Enhanced Shopping Environment and Experience:
Consumers in India mostly suffer from unhygienic

106

experiences, erratic price and irregular availability in

daily food and FMCG products. Many established foreign
retail giants that are known for low pricing, creation of
pleasant shopping environment, maintenance of
hygienist, better customer care, effective inventory
management and storage facilities shall efficiently
contribute for eradicating the said problems and make
the shopping very productive and a happy experience to
the customers in India.
Efficient Enforcement of Laws: The presence of
International companies in Indian Retail will facilitate
effective enforcement of Tax Laws and increase in tax
revenue. Tax evasion could be stopped when more of the
retail is in organised format.
Overall Growth of The Country: FDI in Indian retail will
obviously result in the growth and expansion of the
market and change in consumer spending pattern and
also increase in their spending that eventually lead to
higher GDP in the country.
Efficient Supply Chain Systems: The Government
believes that FDI in retail is the silver bullet solution to
all issues regarding the inefficient supply chain system in
India. This belief rests on the premise that a component
of the capital inflow into the retail sector will go into
developing an extremely efficient and organised supply
and logistic system that will take care of collection,
storage and transportation of food produce, seamlessly.
The government cannot expect the Wal-Marts and the
Tescos to build good roads, without which the supply
systems cannot be optimized. This is one of the
constraints that Indian retail players are already
struggling with. Globally, logistics account for around five
per cent of total cost retail players incur, while it is as
high as ten per cent in India, thus making a dent in its
attractiveness.
Higher Profits for Farmers: The section in the Indian
Government that supports foreign investments in retail,
believes that such a move has the potential to boost up
the lives of our farmers. The underlying rationale is that
with the giant retailers setting up shops and investing in
fully integrated supply chain from farm gates to
supermarket shelves, middlemen in the chain will be cut
out. Without the intermediaries, food producers would
get higher prices for their produce.
Large-Scale Employment Generation: Proponents of
FDI in retail have declared that there will be large-scale
job creation in the economy. Union Minister for
Commerce and Industry Anand Sharma went one step
further by quoting a figure of 10 million as the number of
new jobs to be created, with bulk of that supposedly
coming from the logistics sector. For example, the WalMart, whose global turnover is close to size of Indias
entire retail industry, employs only 2.1 million people.
Assuming that the Wal- Mart and other retailer giants
will extend their highly profitable model in the Indian
retail sector as well, it is highly unlikely that 10 million
jobs will be created. On the other hand, there is a
possibility of loss of employment for several small
retailers once foreign retailers establish themselves in
the market, as seen in developed nations. In the Indian
context, a study conducted by the Indian Council for
Research on International Economic Relations in 2008
observed that unorganised retailers operating in and
around organised retailers have witnessed a drop in
business turnover and profits after the entry of large

Dangi et.al/FDI in Indian Retail Sector: Opportunities and Challenges

organised retailers. The entry of foreign players into the
Indian retail market may or may not result in huge loss of
jobs, but income reduction of marginal retailers and
intermediaries is highly likely.
Elimination of Food Wastage: Presently the highly
unorganised and inadequate supply chain in India is
considered responsible for the wastage of about a
quarter of the total produce between the harvest and the
consumption stages. In theory, development of an
efficient end-to-end cold chain will make it possible to
eliminate this wastage during the collection, storage and
transportation of fresh produce from farms to
supermarket shelves. The increase in supply base of food
items due to elimination of waste will supposedly
translate into higher income for farmers and lower prices
for consumers. However, data from countries where
retail is highly organised convey a different story. In the
US and UK, anywhere between 20 and 30 percent food is
wasted by retail giants between the stages of production
and consumption. A huge quantity of fresh produce is
thrown away by the supermarkets during the sorting
process since they have a policy of accepting products
that conform to strict standards in shape, size and
appearance. Hence, fresh fruits and vegetables which are
otherwise edible are thrown away from supermarket
shelves for their unappealing looks. The Environment
Agency estimates that the total UK retail food waste is 1.6
million tonnes per year.
Benefits to consumers
Consumers have increased the competitiveness of
domestic players.
The growth in the sector assisted the development of the
auto component industry which not only produces
products of global standards but has also resulted in
increased employment.
The productivity levels within the sector have improved
as a result of following globally recognized models of
manufacturing.
The technological capability of Indian firms has also seen
improvements over the years.
FDI bought the required capital into the sector which
assisted players in scaling up their
supply thereby
assisting their overall efficiency and growth.
Consumer choices have increased by many folds both in
terms of product range within a price range as well as
across price range.
The Indian consumer today has access to global brands
The quality of products in terms of customer experience
as well as other parameters such as safety, accessories
have improved tremendously.
Over the years there have been new product
categories that have been created keeping in mind the
change in customer preferences. The recent surge in
demand for luxury and high end automobiles has been
noticed by various international brands which have now
started looking at India as a future growth driver.
CHALLENGES FOR FOREIGN FIRMS IN ORGANIZED
RETAIL
The first challenge is competition from the
unorganized sector. Traditional retailing has been
established in India for many centuries, and is
characterized by small, family-owned operations. Because
of this, such businesses are usually very low-margin, are
owner-operated, and have mostly negligible real estate and

labor costs. Moreover, they also pay little by way of taxes.

Consumer familiarity that runs from generation to
generation is one big advantage for the traditional retailing
sector. It is often said that the mom-and-pop store in India
is more like a father-and-son enterprise.
Such small shops develop strong networks with
local neighborhoods. The informal system of credit adds to
their attractiveness, with many houses running up a tab
with their neighborhood kirana store, paying it off every
fortnight or month. Moreover, low labor costs also allow
shops to employ delivery boys, such that consumers may
order their grocery list directly on the phone. These
advantages are significant, though hard to quantify. In
contrast, players in the organized sector have to cover big
fixed costs, and yet have to keep prices low enough to be
able to compete with the traditional sector.
Getting customers to switch their purchasing away
from small neighborhood shops and towards large-scale
retailers may be a major challenge. The experience of large
Indian retailers such as Big Bazaar shows that it is indeed
possible.
Anecdotal evidence of consumers who return from
such shops suggests that the wholesale model provides for
major bargains something Indian consumers are always
on the lookout for. The other major challenge for retailers
in India, as opposed to the US, is the storage setup of
households. For the large-scale retail model to work,
consumers visit such large stores and return with supplies
likely to last them for a few weeks. Having such easy access
to neighborhood stores with whom, as discussed above, it
is possible to have a line of credit and easy delivery service,
congested urban living conditions imply that few Indian
households might be equipped with adequate storage
facilities.
SUGGESTIONS FOR THE GROWTH OF RETAIL
INDUSTRY
FDI since 1991 has proved to be game changer for
wide segments of Indian industry. FDI has changed quality,
productivity, and production in areas where it has been
allowed.
1. India needs to invest in infrastructure development
because India is lacking only in this which will affect our
Retail Industry majorly.
2. India should increase the investment absorption
capacity.
3. India should make FDI policies little bit more liberal so
that it can face competition with other emerging
economies.
4. Bureaucratic delays and various governmental approvals
and clearances involving different ministries need to be
fastened.
5. Restrictions on sector caps and entry route to sectors
other than those of national importance need to be
liberalized further and constant reviewing of policies must
be done.
6. Government must ensure consistency of policy so as to
improve the business and investor confidence.
CONCLUSION
In light of the above, it can be safely concluded that
allowing healthy FDI in the retail sector would not only
lead to a substantial surge in the countrys GDP and overall
economic development, but would also help in integrating
the Indian retail market with that of the global retail
market in addition to providing not just employment but a

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Dangi et.al/FDI in Indian Retail Sector: Opportunities and Challenges

better paying employment, which the unorganized sector (
kirana and other small time retailing shops) have
undoubtedly failed to provide to the masses employed in
them. Thus, as a matter of fact FDI in the buzzing Indian
retail sector should not just be freely allowed but should be
significantly encouraged. Allowing FDI in multi brand retail
can bring about Supply Chain Improvement, Investment in
Technology, Manpower and Skill Development, Tourism
Development, Greater Sourcing from India, Up-gradation in
Agriculture, Efficient Small and Medium Scale Industries,
Growth in market size and Benefits to Government through
greater GDP, tax income and employment generation.
Despite the current policy and regulatory
environment not being perfect for foreign investors, there
are clearly moves towards improving the current position
and facilitating FDI inflows without having a detrimental
impact on various sectors of the economy. The current
policy is trying to encourage Joint Ventures in multi-brand
retailing so as to boost the domestic retailers growth in
this area. However, there is also the risk that some foreign
retailers will not be interested in investing unless they have
100% ownership and that the current policy will prevent
them from choosing India as a Retail destination. In our
view, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages of
allowing unrestrained FDI in the retail sector, as successful
experiments in countries like Thailand and China
demonstrate. In both countries, the issue of allowing FDI in
the retail sector was first met with incessant protests, but
allowing such FDI led to GDP growth and a rise in the level
of employment.
REFERENCES
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